Safety razor having a sectional cap and operating means for said cap



June 1957 J R. WERTHEIMER ETAL SAFETY RAZOR HAVING A SECTIONAL CAP AND OPERATING MEANS FOR SAID CAP Filed Dec.

United States Patent G SAFETY RAZOR HAVING A SECTIONAL CAP AND OPERATING MEANS FOR SAID CAP Jack R. Wertheimer and Robert T. Sand, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 3, 1954, Serial No. 472,976

8 Claims. (Cl. 30-605) This invention relates to a safety razor of the type having a head adapted to receive a razor blade with means on the head adjustable for holding and releasing the blade. A typical example of this type razor has clamps which swing to open and closed position for clamping and releasing the blade and a handle with a portion which is manually turned to operate the clamps.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simplified improved operating structure by which the clamps of such a razor can be moved to open and closed position by twisting the operating portion of the handle through.

approximately a half turn, the structure having means for locking the clamps in closed position. The invention generally contemplates the use of two relatively movable cams having steeply pitched portions which interengage to operate the clamps and having mildly pitched portions interengaging to wedge-lock the clamps in closed position. One form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings which may be briefly described as fq lo Fig. l is partly in elevation and partly in section showing a razor according to this invention in closed position.

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1 showing the razor in open P tio Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the cam elements.

Shown in the drawings is a razor having a head 11 adapted to have a razor blade 12 secured thereon by clamps 13. A hollow handle 15 is rigidly fixed on the head and has an interior sleeve 16 fixed generally adjacent its lower end 17. A shaft 19 disposedrwithin hollow handle 15 projects slidably through an opening 26 in head 11 (Fig. 2), an opening 21 in the upper portion of the handle and an opening 22 in an inwardly turned end portion 23 of sleeve 16. Openings 21 and 22. may provide bearings for the shaft.

The upper end portion of shaft 19 is operably connected to clamps 13 through yoke bars 25 andis provided with positioning lugs 26 for a blade 12 as shown. A coil spring 27 around shaft 19 seats against end portion 23 of sleeve 16 and against an enlarged portion 28 of the shaft. Spring 27 is stressed to bias the razor toward theopen position shown in Fig. 2.

A sleeve shaped operating member 30 fitting movably within the lower. end portion 17 of handle 15 has an aperture 31 through which the lower end portion of shaft 19 rotatably projects. The lower end of the shaft is flared outwardly asat 32 for attachment to the operating member and a washer 33 may be interposed therebetween. The lower end portion 3.4.01 the. operating member projectsj outwardly .of the handle and is preferably enlarged as. shown for convenient manipulation.

The lower end portions of sleeve 16 are cut away to form a track or cam having in circumferential progression an axially extending shoulder 37, a mildly sloping portion 38 adjoining the inner end of the shoulder,

2,795,846 Patented June 18, 1957 2 an intermediate steeply sloping portion 39 and another mildly sloping portion 40 adjoining the outer end of shoulder 37. The upper end portion of operating member 30 is shaped to form a cam or runner having in circumferential progression an axially extending shoulder 42, a mildly sloping portion 43 adjoining one end of the shoulder, an intermediate steeply slopingportion 44 and a mildly sloping portion 45 adjoining the other end of shoulder 42.

Shoulder 37 is preferably formed by axially recessing sleeve 16 and shoulder 42 preferably comprises a projection on sleeve 30. The respective portions of the two cams mate with each other in open position of the razor as illustrated in Fig. 2. Portion 43 of the cam on sleeve 30 preferably has the same pitch or slope as portion 40 of the cam on sleeve 16 for wedging interengagement to lock the razor in closed position as shown in Fig. 1.

In use, it may be assumed that the razor is initiallyin its open position illustrated in Fig. 2. The portions 3740 of the cam on sleeve 16 are mated withrespectively corresponding portions 42-45 of the cam on sleeve 30. After a blade 12 has been positioned on lugs 26, knob 34 is manually turned to the right as the drawings are viewed so that steeply sloped portion 44 of the cam or runner on sleeve 30 rides downwardly on por tion 39 of the cam or track on sleeve 16 to force shaft 19 downwardly against the action of spring 27 for closing clamps 13 to clamp the blade against head 11. This closing motion of the clamps takes place in somewhat less than a half turn of knob 34. I

When the main closing action is complete, portions 39 and 44 disengage and mildly sloping cam portions 40 and 43 come into engagement. Upon continued turning of knob 34, runner portion 43 rides downwardly on track portion 40 and when shaft 19 reaches its limit of axial movement, these portions wedge tightly together, forming a frictional lock securing clamps 13 in tightly clamped position. Knob 34 turns through approximately degrees in moving from open position to locked position.

The razor may be used in the normal manner without danger of clamps 13 becoming loosened. To open the razor for blade replacement or removal, knob 34 is turned to the left. Portion 43 of the runner rides upwardly on portion 40 of the track under the action of spring 27 to unlock the clamps, and, upon continued turning of the knob, steeply sloping portions 44 and 39 engage so that sleeve 30 and shaft 19 ride rapidly upwardly to open the clamps. When the razor reaches open position, shoulder 42 engages shoulder 37 to stop the turning motion of knob 34. Blade 12 may then be removed for cleaning or replacement and the razor closed again as described.

We claim:

1. A razor comprising, a head adapted. to receive a razor blade, a handle member fixed on said head, clamp means on said head, said clamp means being shiftable selectively. to closed and open positions to hold and release a blade on said head, an operating member articulated with said clamp means, said members being rotatable and axially movable relatively toeach other, means forming an angular sloping track on'one of said members, means forming an angular sloping. runner on: the other. member, said track and runner having steep portionswhich interengage in open position of said clamp means, said steep portions having a height-generally equal to'the operative range of movement of. said operating member, whereby to shift saidclamp means to said positions by turning said: operating member, said track: and runner having. mildly slopingzportionsuwhiclta interenga'ge in closed position of said clamp means, whereby to wedgelock said clamping means in closed position by continued turning of said operating member in its closing direction.

2. A razor comprising, a head adapted to receive a razor blade, a handle member fixed on said head, clampmeans on said head, said clamp means being shiftable selectively to closed and open positions to hold and r e lease a 'blade on said head,'an operating member articulated with said clamp means, said members being rotatable and axially movable relatively to each other, means forming an angular sloping track on one of said members, means forming an angular sloping runner on the other member, said track and runner having steep portions which interengage in open position of said clamp means, said steep portions having a height generally equal to the operative range of movement of said operating member, whereby to shift said clamp means to said positions by turning said operating member, said track and runner having mildly sloping portions which interengage in closed position of said clamp means, whereby to Wedge-lock said clamping means in closed position by continued turning of said operating member in its closing direct-ion, the total height of said track and said runner being greater than the operative range of movement of said operating member.

3. The razor defined in claim 1 wherein the range of angular movement of said operating element between said open position and locked, closed position is substantially 180 degrees.

4. A razor comprising, a head adapted to receive a razor blade, a handle member fixed on said head, clamp means on said head, said clamp means being shiftable selectively to closed and open positions to hold and release a blade on said head, an operating member articulated with said clamp means, said members being rotatable and axially movable relatively to each other, a cam on each of said members, each cam having in circumferential progression a generally axially extending shoulder, a first mildly sloping portion adjoining one end of said shoulder, an intermediate steeply sloping portion, and a second mildly sloping portion adjoining the other end of said shoulder, the respective portions of said cams interengaging when said clamp means is in open position, said steeply sloping portions having an axial extent generally equal to the axial operative range of movement of said operating member, whereby to shift said clamp means selectively to said positions by turning said operating member, said first mildly sloping portion of one of said members engaging said second mildly sloping portion of the other member in closed position of said clamp means, whereby to wedge-lock said clamping means in closed position by continued turning of said operating member in its closing direction.

5. A razor comprising, a head adapted to receive a razor blade, a hollow handle fixed on said head, clamp means on said head, said clamp means being shiftable selectively to closed and opened positions to hold and release a blade on said head, an operating member axially shiftable within said handle member, said operating member being articulated with said clamp means, a fixed annularsleeve within said handle member, a movable annular sleeve in said handle member, said movable sleeve beingrotatably secured on said operating member, said movable sleeve having an outwardly projecting exposed portion, said sleeves having apposing portions formed to provide cams, each cam having in circumferential progression a generally axially extending shoulder, a first mildly sloping portion adjoining one end of said shoulder, an intermediate steeply sloping portion and a second mildly sloping portion adjoining the other end of said shoulder, the respective portions of said cams mating when said clamp means is in open position with said shoulders forming a stop, said steeply sloping portions having an axial extent generally equal to the axial operative range of movement of said operating member, whereby to shift said clamp means selectively to said positions "by turning said exposed portion of said movable sleeve,

said first mildly sloping portion of said movable sleeve engaging said second mildly sloping portion of said fixed sleeve in closed position of said clamp means, whereby to wedge-lock said clam-ping means in closed position by continued turning of said exposed portion in its closing direct-ion.

6. The razor defined in claim 4 wherein the axially extending shoulder, first mildly sloping portion and steeply sloping port-ion of said fixed sleeve define a recess therein and wherein the corresponding portions of said movable sleeve form a projection thereon.

7. A razor comprising, a head adapted to receive a razor blade, a hollow handle fixed on said head, clamp means on said head, said clamp means being shiftable selectively to closed and opened positions to hold and release a blade on said head, an operating member axially shiftable within said handle member, said operating member being articulated with said clamp means, a fixed annular sleeve within said handle member, a movable annular sleeve in said handle member, said movable sleeve being rotatably secured on said operating member, said movable sleeve having an outwardly projecting exposed portion, said sleeves having apposing portions formed to provide cams, each cam having in circumferential pro gression a generally axially extending shoulder, a first mildly sloping portion adjoining one end of said shoulder, an intermediate steeply sloping port-ion and a second mildly sloping port-ion adjoining the other end of said shoulder, the respective portions of said cams mating when said clamp means is in open position with said shoulders forming a stop, said steeply sloping portions having an axial extent generally equal to the axial operative range of movement of said operating member, Whereby to shift said clamp means selectively to said positions by turning said exposed portion of said movable sleeve, said first mildly sloping portion of said movable sleeve engaging said second mildly sloping portion of said fixed sleeve in closed position of said clamp means, whereby to wedge-lock said clamping means in closed position by continued turning of said exposed portion in its closing direction, said fixed sleeve having an inwardly formed portion, said operating member having projection thereon and a spring seating on said inwardly formed portion and said projection, said spring being stressed to bias said razor toward open position.

8. A razor comprising, a head having clamp means shiftable selectively for holding and releasing a razor blade, operating means including stationary track means and rotatable and axially movable runner means operably connected to said clamp means, said track means and runner means having relatively steeply sloping portions which interengage in released position of said clamp means, said steeply sloping portions having a height generally equal to the operative range of movement of said operating means whereby to shift said clamp means selectively to blade holding and releasing positions by turning said runner menas relatively to said track means, said track means and runner means having relatively mildly sloping portions which interengage in blade holding position of said clamp means whereby to wedge-lock said clamping means in closed position by continued turning of said runner means in its closing direction.

UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited in the file of this patent 2,058,529 Testi Oct. 27, 1936 2,676,398 Pattiani Apr. 27, 1954 2,715,768 Hoberg Aug. 23, 1955 

